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The City of Ypsilanti's Downtown Development Authority is coordinating a façade grant application for business and property owners in the DDA districts.
The competitive grant program, funded through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, will afford property and business owners the opportunity to obtain up to a 50 percent match for façade improvements. The grant amounts range between $25,000 and $100,000, with the match to be provided by the property/business owners.
Applications are due Feb. 18.
Jessica deBlacam, an intern with the DDA, said the DDA’s design committee would review the applications and submit the selected projects as “one community project.”
According to the application, the DDA will consider projects that are well-defined and focused. The DDA will also consider the overall impact of the project on the area, the creativity in the project design, percentage of the match, as well as project start and completion dates.
“Preference will be given to projects that can commence within 60 days of agreement execution and with funding sources that allow construction to begin in that time period,” the application states.
Last year’s Façade grant submissions were automatically rejected due to late submissions. The applications, totaling approximately $900,000 worth of improvements to five buildings in Depot Town and one in Downtown, were submitted electronically approximately 10 minutes late making them ineligible for review. Brian Vosburg, Ypsilanti’s former DDA director, resigned a month later.
In a discussion during the DDA’s Executive Committee meeting last Friday, Teresa Gillotti Ypsilanti’s Michigan State University Extension planner, said Ypsilanti has received some positive feedback from those involved on the MEDC side of the grant regarding the merging of the DDA boards since Vosberg's departure. Gillotti said she was optimistic in Ypsilanti’s chance of receiving an award.
Peter Rinehart, DDA board member and owner of Bombadill's Cafe, encouraged business and property owners to apply.
"We need to keep seeing progress in our developed business districts, and façade grants are a good way to let the community know that we are sill active, involved and engaged in bettering our businesses," he said.
All applicants must submit their information in a single submission to the DDA in a digital format. Commonly used file formats are preferred including Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat. No paper copies will be accepted.
The DDA's design committee will meet Feb. 22 to prioritize the submitted projects. The packet will then be submitted to the State for its March 5 deadline.